Page 157 - ramona-text

RAMONA 149
It was Felipe's nearness more than the Madonna's, which
saved her from being roused to hear her doom. The Senora
stood for some moments looking at her, and at the open
window. With a hot rush of disgraceful suspicions, she noted
what she had never before thought of, that Alessandro,
through all his watching with Felipe, had had close access to
Ramona's window. "Shameful creature!" she repeated to
herself. "And she can sleep! It is well she prayed, if the
Virgin will hear such!" and she turned away, first setting
down the jug of milk and the bread on a table. Then, with
a sudden and still more curious mingling of justness in her
wrath, she returned, and lifting the coverlet from the bed,
spread it over Ramona, covering her carefully from head
to foot. Then she went out and again locked the door.
Felipe, from his bed, heard and divined all, but made no
sound. "Thank God, the poor child is asleep!" he said; "and
my poor dear mother feared to awake me by speaking to
her! What will become of us all to-morrow!" And Felipe
tossed and turned, and had barely fallen into an uneasy
sleep, when his mother's window opened, and she sang the
first line of the sunrise hymn. Instantly Ramona joined, evi-
dently awake and ready; and no sooner did the watching
Alessandro hear the first note of her voice, than he struck
in; and Margarita, who had been up for an hour, prowl-
ing, listening, peering, wondering, her soul racked between
her jealousy and her fears,—even Margarita delayed not to
unite; and Felipe, too, sang feebly; and the volume of the
song went up as rounded and melodious as if all hearts were
at peace and in harmony, instead of being all full of sorrow,
confusion, or hatred. But there was no one of them all who
was not the better for the singing; Ramona and Alessandro
most of all.
"The saints be praised," said Alessandro. "There is my
wood-dove's voice. She can sing!" And, "Alessandro was
near. He watched all night. I am glad he loves me," said
Ramona.
"To hear those two voices!" said the Senora; "would
one suppose they could sing like that? Perhaps it is not so
bad as I think."